| Kallio Church | |
|---|---|
 Kallio Church. | |
 | |
| Location | Kallio,Helsinki |
| Country | Finland |
| Denomination | Lutheran |
| History | |
| Status | active |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Lars Sonck |
| Architectural type | National Romanticism,Art Nouveau |
| Groundbreaking | July 13, 1908 |
| Completed | 1912 (1912) |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1100 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Helsinki |
| Parish | Kallio |
Kallio Church (Finnish:Kallion kirkko,Swedish:Berghälls kyrka) is aLutheran church in theKallio district ofHelsinki,Finland. It was designed byLars Sonck and representsNational Romanticism withArt Nouveau influences. The National Romantic style appears in the use of traditional Finnish materials and in the church's massive, gray granite body, as well as in nature-inspired colours and decorative motifs.
Completed in 1912, the church is one of Helsinki's most prominent landmarks.[1] Its excellent acoustics make it a popular venue for concerts, especially fororgan music.[1][2]
Construction began on Kallio Church when itsfoundation stone was laid on July 13, 1908. The church was inaugurated by Bishop Herman Råbergh on September 1, 1912.
In 1917, when Finland was gaining its independence, theTolstoyan movement adopted the church as their base and preached their message of peace there. During theSecond World War there was an air surveillance station in the church tower. Until the 1970s the tower served as atrig point forland surveying.
The church is 65 metres high, and its cross is 94 metres above sea level. TheEstonian coastline can be seen from the tower. The church is on a hill, and it forms the northern end point of a 2.5 km long street axis made up of three streets, Kopernikuksenkatu, Siltasaarenkatu, andUnioninkatu.[3]
Kallio Church is ahall church with atransept. The load-bearing walls are built of red bricks and clad in Finnishgranite. There is seating for 1.100 worshippers.
The interior of the church is decorated withChristian symbols such as roses, lilies, palm branches, laurel crowns and pearls to pass on the message of theGospels. There are also Art Nouveaumurals inside the church. Thealtarpiece is a woodenrelief ‘Tulkaa minun tyköni’ (‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened’) by Hannes Autere, carved in 1956. In thevestibule of the church and in theorgan galleries there are four plaster reliefs fromSigrid af Forselles’ five-part seriesIhmissielun kehitys (‘Development of the human soul’). In thesacristy there's a painting byVerner Thomé, depictingJesus healing a blind man.
Paavo Tynell designed the massive brass lamps in 1932. The church textiles currently in use are designed by Raija Rastas.
There are seven German bronze bells in the granite tower of the church. Each day at noon and at 6 pm, thechoraleThe Bells of Kallio Church (Kallion kirkon kellosävel, JS 102)[4] byJean Sibelius, composed for the church's 1912 consecration ceremony, is played on four of the bells. He also arranged this piece for piano, as well as formixed choira cappella (each Op. 65b). The three largest bells ring to announce church services.
Kallio Church has both aNeo-Baroque and a French-style Romantic revival organ. The French-Romantic organ was made by the Swedish organ maker Åkerman & Lund in 1995 and serves as the main organ of the church. The smaller Neo-Baroque organ was built byKangasala Organ Factory, Finland in 1987.
Acolumbarium under the church was completed in 1991. There is room for around 2500urns at a time, and the urns can be kept in the columbarium for a fixed period. After that, they can be concealed in asepulchre, also situated under the church. The columbarium can only be visited when an urn is taken there.
Visitors can bring flowers or light candles by the memorial for the departed, which can be found on the back wall of the church, beside the main entrance.
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